Sheriff's Office Investigates After Student Injured at School

A seventh grader from Robert Smalls Middle School is in critical condition tonight at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. School officials say the boy fell yesterday and hit his head, but some of the boy's relatives don't buy that story.

We spoke with Matt Wall's aunt today and she says he is still on life support and in a coma, but she says the whole family is hoping and praying he'll recover.

The 13-year-old's family and friends have been on pins and needles waiting for updates on his medical condition after he was injured in school Monday morning.

"All we can do right now is pray," said Tara Kennedy, Matt's aunt. "Miracles happen, so that's what we hope, but if he does make it, who knows if he's ever going to be right again?"

While school officials and the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, which investigating the case, aren't giving much information, they are saying the teenager fell in the hallway, hitting his head. School officials say it happened while Matt and several other students were horsing around in the hallway as they were being escorted to lunch by a school staff member.

"The student fell and was treated by school staff including the nurse," said Jill Weinburger with the Beaufort County School District. "They had to administer emergency CPR."

Matt was taken to the hospital and then airlifted to MUSC. However, Kennedy doesn't believe this incident was an accident; she thinks someone beat him up.

"He didn't deserve to go to school and have this happen to him," she said.

And she wants answers. "Where was any of the teachers, monitors, or anybody when this was happening? And if there was one teacher there, it wouldn't have escalated to this point."

School district officials say they haven't taken any disciplinary action against any student at the school concerning this incident. However, they did sent a letter home to parents about what happened and had counselors on hand at school today.

A group of more than 50 pastors in Savannah hopes the families of murder victims can help them create positive change in the city’s violent crime. The Savannah Alliance of Pastors is holding that meeting and a prayer vigil next week.

A group of more than 50 pastors in Savannah hopes the families of murder victims can help them create positive change in the city’s violent crime. The Savannah Alliance of Pastors is holding that meeting and a prayer vigil next week.